


How to Care for Your Boyfriend in Three Steps or Less

by InTheShadows



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: (it's just the flu), Don't copy to another site, Dum-E's smoothies are the best, Established Relationship, M/M, Protective Tony Stark, Rhodey Is A Good Boyfriend, Short & Sweet, Sick Character, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-12
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2020-10-14 23:14:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20608922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InTheShadows/pseuds/InTheShadows
Summary: When Rhodey gets sick Tony makes sure that he is a good boyfriend and take care of him. He'snothovering, no matter what he says. He's just trying to make him feel better. Rhodey just wishes that Tony stays away so he won't get sick too.For IronHusbands Week Day 4 - "I'm always going to protect you."/Recovering together





	How to Care for Your Boyfriend in Three Steps or Less

Tony pushes the door open with his hip, careful not to spill the soup in his hands. A quick glance tells him that Rhodey is awake and restless right now. He had been sleeping earlier when he had checked, but now he is glaring grumpily at the tv. His eyes are red and his breathe wheezes through his nose. 

“I have chicken noodle soup,” he annonces when Rhodey looks at him, “Freshly made.” 

“Not by you I hope,” he sasses, voice scratchy. 

“How rude,” Tony sniffs as he sets the tray down on his legs, “Here I spend all this time and effort making it and all you can do is mock me.” 

Rhodey gives him a look, which would be much more effective if he didn’t sneeze at that exact moment. It doesn’t go away when Tony gives him his most charming smile. If anything it gets worse.  _ So _ rude. But then he raises an eyebrow and Tony cracks. 

“I bought it,” he grumbles. 

“Good. Then I know its safe to eat,” Rhodey gives him a smug smile as he takes the first bite. “Much better than anything you can cook.” 

Tony crosses his arms. “Humph. I see how it is. I get no love around here. No appreciation. All I am is the housewife, here for you to walk all over.” 

Rhodey snorts which turns into a laugh with turns into a coughing fit. It takes a few minutes for it to stop, but when it does he is still smiling. “I can safely say that you will  _ never _ be a housewife Tones. For one thing you don’t have the patience. For another you would install AIs in all of the appliances so that they would run themselves. Not sure you could pull off the heels either.” 

“I don’t know why you’re complaining,” Tony huffs, “the AIs are a great idea. Who wouldn’t love a kitchen that ran itself? And have you already forgotten that one spring break? I look  _ amazing _ in heels  _ and _ a skirt.” 

Rhodey groans at the mention of it. “How can I forget when you won’t stop bringing it up? You weren’t even all that drunk when you put them on. Still not sure how you pulled it off so well,” he shakes his head, “But the kitchen would go on strike the first time you burnt something. And some of us would like to be able to cook without worrying about accidentally offending the toaster or something.” 

Tony pouts. “There are so many things wrong with your answer honey bear. Don't you know how to treat an AI right? They’re people too you know. And that’s the point of having AIs in the kitchen -  _ they _ keep track of the food so it doesn’t burn.” He smiles brightly. “The real question is did you really expect me to turn down a pack of drag queens? That’s rude you know. Of course I put it on. And of course I pulled it off - I’m fabulous in anything.” He flutters his eyelashes for affect. 

“Uh huh,” Rhodey agrees without any real enthusiasm to be believable, “Sure you are. No AIs in the kitchen - or anywhere else besides the workshop,” he adds. He eats another spoonful of soup. “Now get out of here before you get sick too.” 

“But honey bun don’t you want to watch a movie with me?” He smiles winningly. 

Rhodey rolls his eyes. “I’m fine Tones, it’s just the flu. I’m not going to die on you or anything. You don’t have to hover.” 

“I am not hovering,” he protests, “I’m being a good boyfriend and making sure you have everything. Do you need more medicine now? Another pillow? Blanket? An ice pack maybe? Some-” 

“Tony,” Rhodey interrupts, smiling before sneezing again, “I’m  _ fine _ koala cat. I just need some rest and time to recover. I have two more hours before I need my medicine again and I don’t need anything else right now.” 

“Are you sure?” Tony fidgets, “I could read to you instead, if you want. Jarvis always read to me when I was sick.” 

The look Rhodey gives him is soft. “I’m sure. I know you want to help, but I don’t want you getting sick. There’s no use both of us getting this. Plus you know what you’re like when you get sick. I love you, but you’re a damn menace - more than usual.” 

Tony nods, biting his bottom lip. He knows. He has tried the patience of everyone who has been around him. Too clingy and too needy and too useless to do anything but whine and fidget. “I just want to help you though. I always want to help you.” 

Rhodey sighs. “Fine,  _ one _ movie and then you leave. I’ll probably be ready for another nap by then anyways. You pick out it out.” 

“Wall-E?” Tony asks cautiously. 

“Yeah, sounds good. Now come here.” He pats the bed next to him. 

In a flash Tony is there beside him. “Jay put the movie on.” 

“Of course Sir,” JARVIS says and the title pops up on screen. 

Tony hums happily as they settle in to watch. 

:::

It turns out that Rhodey was right to be worried because the very next day Tony is sick too. He wakes up with a sore throat and by lunch time he has a fever of 102. JARVIS, the traitor that he is, promptly tells Rhodey this. Then he is on bed rest too. 

At least it means that he is no longer exiled from the bedroom. Instead Rhodey insists they share a bed so that Rhodey can keep an eye on him. Tony isn’t complaining - not about that anyways. They spend the next week huddled up in blankets, watching movies and sleeping. 

Dum-E brings them smoothies with too much kale and pineapple, but miraculously no motor oil, to help them feel better. It just goes to show that the little shit probably does it on purpose. Ridiculous. Still Tony enjoys them, even if Rhodey is less enthusiastic about his. 

It’s a bit of a misery if he is being honest, but at least he gets to spend time taking care of Rhodey after all. Not that this impresses him when Tony mentions it. Quite the opposite in fact. He gives him another one of those looks and sighs. Why he was expecting anything else is a mystery to Tony. He should be used to it by now. 

Really though, Tony could do without being sick. He really does hate it. 


End file.
